Desire of the heart
by Besweet
Summary: A path of a ninja is a very lonely one. For a long time, he felt a wistful longing for a family. He never knew if he would ever have one, until he met them. Ryu Hayabusa X Mizuki McCloud


_**Author's note:**_ **Just a one-shot that I felt like writing. Hope you enjoy it.**

 _ **Disclaimer: **_**I do not own any of the characters. All Characters belongs to Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja.**

 **Happy Reading!**

* * *

 **~Desire of the heart~**

 **Hayabusa Village, Japan**

Ryu stood on his porch thinking deeply while he stared at the green mountains that laid in the distance. Throughout his life, he had been on countless mission all over the world. He distanced himself from the outside world unless necessary. The most important rule about missions was not to be attached to anyone that he works with because as a shinobi his path was darker, more dangerous and a very lonely one.

It had been a week since he had been home from his last mission, a mission that had made him rethink about the way he had been living his life. He tried to forget, kept reminding himself that it was just another mission. However, he just couldn't let it go. He missed them, Mizuki and her five-year-old daughter Canna. He never knew missing someone could take over every fiber of his being. That week felt like a month to him. It was a torment he was unprepared for and it was amazing how they were able to fill the empty void in his heart in such short period of time he had known them. He felt an instant connection to them. They made him feel important, as if he had a new purpose in life. A feeling that he had never known existed and possible for someone like him. A feeling only to those who had a family only knew what felt like, something that he had never had in his life.

 _A family…_

His mind drifted back to the day on the carrier when he was talking to Mizuki. That day she opened up to him and every time he was near her, he felt this indescribable warmth and acceptance that he hadn't felt with anyone else before, like he was just a normal guy to her eyes and not this cold-blooded killer that most fear. The way she cared for him and the way she cared for Canna was so natural and admirable to his eyes. That was also the day that Canna had asked him to be her father. A faint smile appeared from the corner of his lips thinking about that specific day, but the smile quickly faded.

 _Forget them. You could never replace her father…_

He had never felt this conflicted about anything before, and no matter how many times he told himself to forget about them, he couldn't help but feeling that he would regret the decision of not seeing them again.

"Master Ryu?"

His thoughts were interrupt and he turned his attention to his apprentice.

"Yes, Momiji."

"Are we still going to train? You don't look like you're ready for training," She asked. Momiji brows drew closer together into a light frown, as Ryu didn't seem to hear her because he was staring long and hard at the floor.

"Master Ryu? Is everything alright?"

Ryu looked back up and looked Momiji in the eyes. "I will have to postpone our training, I'm sorry Momiji. There is something important that I have to do today, and I need to ask you a favor…"

"What is it?" She wondered.

"Could you look after the village while I'm away?"

"Of course, you don't have to worry." She smiled.

He faintly smiled back, "Thank you." He then turned to his bedroom to change his outfit.

"Uh, Master Ryu?"

He turned back around to face Momiji, "Yes?"

"If you don't mind me asking, where are you going?"

Ryu didn't respond right away. His gaze lowered for a moment. Then he looked back at her and he responded, "London."

 **London, United Kingdom**

"Canna, how many times have I told you to put your toys away after you are done playing with them?" Mizuki lightly shook her head. Canna came running back into the living room.

"Sorry Mommy…" The golden blonde-haired girl with the sky-blue eyes began to pick her toys and put them back into the toy chest.

Mizuki smiled from across the room, "Thank you." She then looked briefly at the clock on the wall and made her way over to Canna.

"It's past your bedtime, come on sweetie let's get you ready for bed." Canna smiled and Mizuki followed Canna to her bedroom.

Once in bed, Mizuki drew the covers over her daughter's shoulders and tucked her in nicely. Canna stared at the paper shuriken on her nightstand. She had made it for Ryu before she was kidnapped, and Ryu gave it back to her after he had saved her as a parting gift to remind Canna that he would always look out for her.

"I miss him…" Canna said in her low sweet voice.

Mizuki looked at the paper shuriken then back at Canna. She softly cuddled with Canna's silky blonde hair and whispered back to her.

"I miss him too." Mizuki's lips held a faint smile.

"Alright, get some sleep you."

"Okay, good night mommy."

Mizuki leaned closer to place a soft kiss on Canna's forehead, "Good night." She smiled and left the room gently closing the door behind her.

Exhausted after a long day with work, Mizuki proceeded to her own bedroom to get ready for bed. She stripped off her clothes to take a quick shower. After she finished, she then grabbed her fluffy towel to dry herself off and then slipped into her white silky nightgown. Before going to bed, Mizuki decided to take a breath of fresh air from her bedroom balcony. She lived in a penthouse apartment in the city where she had a perfect view of London. The city lights were breathtaking during nighttime. Mizuki had always been a city girl so the city noise was something she was used to. A lot had been on her mind that week, or more precisely someone had been a lot on her mind. The conversation they shared before heading out to rescue Canna replayed in her mind.

 **Flashback**

Ryu: "I made a promise. To protect you, and Canna."

Mizuki: Do you remember when Canna asked you to be her father?

Ryu: Yeah.

Mizuki: She said that if we were a family…we would all be together. Her, me…and you.

Ryu: Family…let's go. Let's bring Canna home.

 **End of flashback**

Mizuki let out a heavy sigh at the memory. It was too much to ask him to be part of their lives. He was a special man. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if they would have had a little more time together, could anything evolve into something more? Too bad that she'd never get to find out what could have happened between them. Then a faint smile formed on the corner of her lips, because even though she might never see him again, at least she got to work with someone like him. He saved their lives and for that, she will forever be grateful. Mizuki inhaled the cool comfortable night air one more time before heading back inside. _Time to sleep…_

She closed and locked the glass door behind her, took off her robe, and crawled into bed. Then sighing as she had forgotten to shut the blinds. Mizuki pushed herself back out of the bed again.

A tall figure in a long black coat and red scarf around his neck was standing on her balcony staring at her, Mizuki almost scream her lounges out, but she immediately recognized his face. She quickly unlocked and opened the balcony door.

"Ryu…"

Their eyes locked. Neither said anything to each other and they didn't have to, they knew what each other were thinking. Ryu placed himself closer to Mizuki. She lifted her hand softly stroking his cheek with the tip of her playful finger. There was something about him… a mysterious vulnerability to him that made her wonder what he had endured in his life. His forest green eyes were mesmerizing. He had smooth flawless skin and his soft sharp lips were very attractive and captivating. He lowered his mouth to her and she lifted her lips to meet his. Their lips covered each other's in a long warm kiss that left them short of breath. She wrapped her arms around his strong neck, getting lost in the moment. He slid his hands behind her back and pulled her tighter into him. The kiss might be too soon, but in their hearts, nothing had never felt this right.

Slowly their lips parted, and their foreheads rested against each other. Her voice softened and Mizuki asked. "Do you want to come in?"

There was a pause before he nodded light.

She then smiled charmingly as she took his hand and led him inside her apartment.


End file.
